Horse leans on the bit??

[Irishdiamond]

I'm a returning rider who's looking for some advice purely so I can learn more. I've been trying different riding schools lately and two horses stuck out in my mind.

*Please note I always ride with light contact and refrain from any pulling and try to use my seat or voice.**

One horse I found lent all his weight on the bit, i could feel the heaviness and tried my initial light contact but he still leaned on it.

I'm used to riding a sensitive horse so I wanted to figure out if it was the case of a hard mouth as I was told to pull harder and harder but this is something I HATE doing so it makes the ride not enjoyable.

How do you ride a horse in a lesson who's very heavy on the front?

The next horse I found wouldent listen until he was on a very short rein (which I'm not used to having to have so much contact) he refused to stay out unless the reins were extremely short but this blistered my hands.

What could I have done differently??
I tried building up the contact slowly to see where he worked best, using the correct leg aids and opening the rein to encourage him to stay out but nothing worked. I was shouted at to kick him and pull hard but there must be other ways?

I'm trying to learn as much as possible by riding these different horses and keep finding them increasingly heavy on the hand.

The mare I usually ride is ridden in light contact, a slight change in weight and she listens. I've never had to pull with her, a gentle half halt stops her most times 😁

So I guess I'm completely spoiled riding a wonderful responsive mare that when I get on different horses with harder mouths I find I have no idea how to ride them.

 

[wren123]

To be honest I don't think you are going to learn much at either of these riding schools.
I returned to riding after many years (used to ride well) and I started with individual lunge lessons to improve my seat and build up my core.
Then I started riding the well schooled horses. Initially I couldn't get a great tune of of the horse, but it all improved. Yes one horse would try and lean, but that was due to my inept riding, he was an educated horse and once I rode properly he didn't lean.
Then I changed to a more highly schooled horse and I went backwards as he was extremely responsive horse who did bring my riding on more once I hoped my game with the help of my instructor.

I would find a better riding school with better quality horses.
Some might say a good rider should improve the horse, but those horses sound like they need to go back to basics. You want a lesson not a schooling project!

 

[Mince Pie]

Generally it's because the horse is not working over it's back and completely on the forehand. Exercises to bring him/her back on to the hocks should lessen the 'lean'.

 

[paddi22]

You can be fighting a losing battle with some riding school horses at times as they have a fixed way of going and tricks to survive being riding school horses!

Horses with issues like that need proper reschooling and it's not possible in a lesson the odd time. If it was a horse you had on loan for example though, where you could put the time in and do consistent training, then i'd switch to something like a waterford bit and work on transitions and getting the horse off it's forehand. Stop allowing it something to lean on and help it learn to carry itself. Exercises in changing flexion are good if you feel them leaning. I'm not sure if it correct but what i find works is to alternate pressure in each rein for a few strides so horse can't lean into both. Loads of transitions help, i used to do one at each marker. If he started leaning i'd drop contact at times and he soon learnt he was fall flat on his face and would carry himself better. And loads of impulsion to make sure he's powering from behind and not pulling himself forward on his shoulders.

Horses like that are interesting projects to work on, and it can be done in a riding school if you have a good instructor on a private lesson who is focused on the point of the lesson. There won;t be a massive change in the horse probably during the lessons, but you will feel the moments when the leaning stops and the horse is more correct. Any understand the techniques you used to get it that way. Any riding school that tells you to pull more isn't suitable for someone like you who wants to learn the techniques for schooling different types.

 

[eggs]

Usually leaning on the bit indicates a horse that isn't working correct,y over the back, is unbalanced and on the forehand. Unfortunately you are a bit stuck as it is a riding school horse.